Tuition Information 2023-24

Perfect preparation for local Grammar Schools’ 11+ Entrance Exams – combining learning and FUN!

Just three spaces left for 2023-24.

For children who are in year 5 during 2023-24 tuition is already underway, but there are currently 3 spaces left.  Please scroll down the page to read more informations about sessions, or click the blue ‘book now’ button below. Choose the session you’d like, next select ‘Francesca Grimshaw’ as the tutor, then select the first available date on the calendar and fill in your details.

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Tuition Details

Our garden classroom

My tuition sessions are exclusively for current Year 5 children, and tuition is conducted by myself in small groups. Group sessions enable children to work both collaboratively and individually, depending on the material. Students enjoy the competition that comes from working alongside other children, but also they benefit from the camaraderie of small group sessions, with many former students forming friendships within their groups that they continue into high school.

My students’ pass rate for the 11+ entrance exam has consistently remained at around 90% for the past nine years and in 2022-23 it was 92%, which is excellent considering I do not select students based on initial assessments; students of all abilities are welcome to study with me.  My focus is on building children’s knowledge, honing their problem-solving skills, and boosting their confidence. We work on exam technique, but I aim to equip them not just for the grammar school entrance exam but also for success in Year 6 and beyond. I am very proud of my students’ academic achievements, and it is highly rewarding to see children unlock their potential through a genuine love for learning.

We meet for an hour weekly.  Lessons are hybrid, comprising online and in-person tuition.  The first two meetings of each month are held at my office, and the remaining sessions of the month are online using Zoom and a variety of interactive programs. Lessons run throughout the year until the grammar school entrance exam, which is held in September of Year 6 (we don’t meet at half term or Christmas/Easter but we do meet throughout the summer holidays).  During that time, students study all the required aspects of a GL Assessment style 11+ test – namely English, Maths, and Verbal Reasoning.  Homework of up to 1 hour duration is set each week.

Currently, lessons take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays after school/early evening.  Sessions for 2023-4 will be held at 4pm, 5.15pm and 6.30pm both days but some sessions are now full.

Knowing how dull online learning can be if not done properly, I aim to make all learning enjoyable and memorable.  When we are working online I use lots of interactive material such as online quizzes and games so that students are engaged throughout the session.  I’m a Certified Educator in both Formative and Quizizz learning platforms and use paid accounts for the sites I use to make full use of their features. I also use resources from a variety of GLA 11+ providers including GL Assessment, Bond, CGP, LEAP, NFER Nelson, and First Past the Post as well as material I’ve designed and developed myself.  This variety ensures your child will be more than ready to tackle 11+ style questions in whichever format and style they are presented in the test.  My students have also found the skills developed over their year studying with me invaluable for year 6 and SATs work.

Technical information for online learning:

For online learning, I recommendusing a laptop or PC equipped with a headset and microphone to reduce background noise. It’s important to have a reliable internet connection, preferably wired (using an Ethernet cable directly connected to the router) or working in close proximity to the router. If an Ethernet connection is not possible, I recommend ensuring that other household members refrain from bandwidth-intensive activities such as gaming, streaming and general internet use during the online tuition session to ensure the best possible connection.

I don’t recommend the use of tablets or phones for online tuition since the screen is typically too small for an optimal learning experience.

We use Google Classroom (which requires a Google account), Formative, and various engaging online quiz platforms such as Quizizz, Quizlet, WordWall and Blooket to maximize the benefits of online learning.

During the summer holidays ALL NORMAL TUITION SESSIONS are in-person.  This gives students lots of mock test experience.  We look at how to develop test techniques, managing work pace effectively, and addressing nervousness while also focusing on mental preparation for the test.

I run subject booster sessions in the summer holidays, too.  These are all online and are optional.

Tuition fees (£25 per week from 2021 onwards) are paid monthly in advance by direct debit before the 1st lesson of each month. Fees include all paper materials and also all access to online quizzes, activities, and any other materials used for homework, tests and marking.

If your child is unable to attend a scheduled in-person session (due to holidays, illness, or a prior engagement), I will try to accommodate them in an alternative session if I have space. However, attending a different tuition session during online weeks is more flexible and easily achievable. Fees are not reimbursed for missed sessions, but I will always ensure your child has access to any relevant missed material, and they will also have access to the homework for missed sessions.

You do not pay for sessions that I cancel or for weeks when we do not have sessions (such as Christmas, Easter, and half-term holidays). We do have sessions throughout the summer holidays; however, I typically take a one or two-week break at some point between July and September. There is no charge for weeks I take off for holidays, but I will also ensure that appropriate assignments are provided for students to complete whilst I’m away, in any case.

 

For term dates see below.

Please contact me by emailing [email protected] if you’d like more information.

Booking online is the easiest way to see real-time availability for dates and times.  

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP:

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multiple choice answer sheet for the 11+

provisional 2023-24 TUITION DATES –  WEDNESDAY GROUPS 

Tuition dates in red will take place in my office, and dates in black will be online but may be subject to change.

October tuition: 4, 11, 18 October (3 weeks)

Half term holiday  – October 25th 

November tuition: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 November (5 weeks)

December tuition: 6, 13, 20 December (3 weeks)

Christmas holidays – 27th December and 3rd January

January tuition: 10, 17,  24, 31 January (4 weeks)

February tuition: 7, 21, 28 February (3 weeks)

Half term holidays – February 14th

March tuition: 6, 13, 20, 27 March (4 weeks)

Easter holidays – 3rd and 10th April

April tuition: 17, 24 April (2 weeks)

May tuition: 1, 8, 15, 22 May (4 weeks)

Half-term holidays – May 29th

June tuition: 5, 12, 19, 26 June (4 weeks)

July tuition: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 July (5 weeks)

August tuition:  7, 14, 21, 28 August (4 weeks)

September tuition: tbc

Tuition dates in red will take place in my office, and dates in black will be online but may be subject to change.

provisional 2023-24 TUITION DATES – THURSDAY GROUPS

Tuition dates in red will take place in my office, and dates in black will be online but may be subject to change.

October tuition: 5, 12, 19 October (3 weeks)

Half term holiday  – October 26th 

November tuition: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 November (5 weeks)

December tuition: 7, 14, 21  December (3 weeks)

Christmas holidays – 28th December and 4th January

January tuition: 11, 18, 25 January (3 weeks)

February tuition: 1, 8, 22, 29 February (4 weeks)

NOTE THAT THE FIRST SESSION OF FEBRUARY IS ONLINE. This is to line up with my Wednesday groups and to ensure the in-person sessions fall on either side of half-term.

Half term holidays – February 15th

March tuition: 7, 14, 21, 28 March (4 weeks)

Easter holidays – 4th and 11th April

April tuition: 18, 25 April (2 weeks)

May tuition: 2, 9, 16, 23 May (4 weeks)

Half-term holidays – May 30th

June tuition: 6, 13, 20, 27  June (4 weeks)

July tuition: 4, 11, 18, 25 July (4 weeks)

August tuition:  1, 8, 15, 22, 29 August (5 weeks)

September tuition: tbc

Tuition dates in red will take place in my office, and dates in black will be online but may be subject to change.

Tuition Location

Online/Rising Bridge Rd, Haslingden, BB4 5BL.